WOOING THE ELECTORS

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 272, 22 November 1935, Page 2

WOOING THE ELECTORS

‘ ‘ OFFERING EVERYTHING ’ ’ 44 We cannot compete with those parties which aro offering everything. Such promises aire impossible of fulfilment. We are setting out to car*ry on the steady advances which have been made.”—The Priimje Minister. PANACEA FOR ALL ILLS? 44 If the policy as outlined by the Democrat Party is likely to prove a panadea for all the ills of the country, then Uhe party’s candidates would be better employed in telling people how it could be carried into effect, instead of wasting 75 per cent of their time criticising the mistakes of the National Government. ’ ’ —Mr A. S. Falconer (Nat. GUvet., Dunedin North). A QUIET SPELL The Mayor of Napier, Mr C. O. Morse, was reclining fairly comfortably on a seat on the platform, his head bent.

A humourist in the audience called, ‘‘Look, Gordon, Charlie’s gone to sleep. You’ve sent him to sleep.’’

Mr Morse hastily raised his head to scotch hhe unworthy suggestion, and the crowd roared with laughter.

TOO LATE! TOO LATE!

44 On the eve of the general election you restore the cuts,” said an .interjection at the Nalpier meeting of the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates.

Mir Coates: Oh, no, no, mo. That’s, hardly ,a fair statement. We returned 5 per cent last year and 7J this year. (Uproar). 4 And pensions ’’

Cries of “Too late, Gordon! Too late! You .should have thought of that! one before.” (Further uproar).

A LIVELY MEETING Thus the “Christchurch Star’’ anent Mi' L. C. Walkers .recent meeting as a candidate for Avon: — I'l was soon apparent that the eanidiidatle was up against a good percentage holding views on /politics which differed from his own, to say the least; hut the first joint move came when he attacked, together and singly, the twelve main planks of the Labour Party’s .platform. He road out each point, and before he could embark upon/ his criticism the hall would ring with cheers.

GUARANTEED PRICE QUESTION Speakimlg in Pal/merston North on Wednesday the Minister of Finance, referring to Labour’s guaranteed ;price proposals, stated, in reply to an interjectoir, tha.tl apples were not guaranteed.

The interjeetor: What about wheat

Mr Coates: Wheat’® not guaranteed':' Can you tell me anything that is guaranteed? Interjector: Yes! Your salary! Mr Coates: Thank you! I’m glad to know that Gordon’s salary is guaranteed for the next few years!

VARIOUS PROBLEMS Sir Alfred Ransom, in reply to <a, questioner at Pahiatua, said ho was not oppos/ed tio the creation of women police under certain circumstances.

He was asked whether he was in favour of abolishing artj unions in place of State lotteries, but said it was a policy matter, and as a Cabinet Minister, he would not commit himself on such questions. Questioned as to the admission of five-year-olds in school, Sir Alfred said there had been a committee report on the matter which was in favour of it but here again was a policy matter on which he would not commit himself.

HIS WIFE OBJECTED

The audience at Mr B. H. Riseley’s meeting in the Woolston School (Lytteltjon electorate) was amused when the candidate’s wife entered a strong protest against one of his .statements. Mr Riseley was elaborating on the sipiS of the Government and with appropriate seriousness told his audience that 'if he was a young man working on a job he was not too sure that he would get mairried.’ “Here, what about me?” quietly interjected his wife, greatly to the delight of the members of the audience near the front of the room. While the audience 'shrieked in laughter, Mrs Riseley leaned forward and gave her husband’s coat a sharp tug as a demonstratiomi of her good-humoured disapproval. I

THE SALES TAX On the subject of sales tax, the Minister of Finance was asked at Napier: “When are you going to take the sales tax off?” Mr Coates: I am glad to be asked that. We propose4 4 Cut that out, Gordon. That’s the wrong word, this time.” Air Coates: Oh, no. I said that with good reason. When the country’s finances are in the position safe for the Government to do so, the first thing would be to restore the cuts in Civil Servants’ 'wages. Next, the reduction of taxation. If some of the promises being made by parties waiting to get on the Treasury benches wore honoured there could be no reduction in taxation'. I want’ to deal! with the Government’s policy and— -P 44 G0 on, you haven’t got one.’’ SOMETHING ABOUT EGGS Mr D. G. Sullivan’s audience at Aranui (Avon electorate) heard something about eggs. One man wanted the views of the candidate on guaranteed egg®, whether he thought eggs should be certified as fresh, as was the ca.se in New South Wales. He put the question in some confusion and ended by remarking “This is it in a nut-shell.”

But then quickly came from the other side of the hull “In an egg-shell you mean.’’

Realising he was on delicate ground, the questioner changed his approach and boldly remarked, 4 'Well, the crux of the mattier is ... y ’ That got over, a difficult (Situation.

The talk continued on eggs for a while and another man was prompted to remark “at the present time anything in a shell is an egg.”

QUESTION TIME AT PAHIATUA Replying to Mr A. Morgan, at meeting in Pahiatua on. Monday night, the Hon. Sir Alfred Ransom said:— He considered that an income tax was more equitable than a land tax ns everyone in /receipt of an income had to pay whereas holders of land in some eases had no incomes. Sir Alfred was asked by Mr Patchetlt why he voted for the third rebate on the beer tax and yet he voted t against the rebate on tea. Ho explained that if was done in the interests of industry, and laughingly suggested that people should drink beer if they wished to avoid paying the tax. Sir Alfred was pressed by Air Patchett to say what action he would take in the Bible-in-schools Bill, but pointed out that there was no such bill before the House. This reply did not .suit the questioner who got at the subject from another angle by asking Sir Alfred if he had ever voted for tho B:ble-in-Slchools Bill, whereupon the latter answered in the affirmative.

SERIES OF INTERRUPTIONS There was a thoroughly rowdy meeting in the Best Belt schoolroom tiite other night when tho Independent candidate for Christchurch East, Mr B. Ahfeld, opened his campaign. After speaking through continuous interruption for fifty minutes, he closed his address, saying: T< l’ve cut this meeting short! because I’ve not had a fair inn. I’ve never spoken in. public before, but you haven’t got. ms bamboozled. You can’t change my ideas.” Ninety per cent of the audience were obviously Labour sympathisers who, though they agreed wfiith the candidate on some points, resented his entering the campaign against Mr. H. T. Armstrong. At question time, the rowdy element departed, and the candidate conducted a series of vigorous debates with questioners fob- tin hour; but the meeting ended in confusion when tho chairman became embroiled with a section of the audience as to which of several conflicting motions should be (put to the meteting.

SOME PITHY REPARTEE A j With genuine applause from one half of his audienefe and loud derision from the other, Mr L. C. Waikele, Independent candidate for Avon, liad a. warm two and a half Fours before an audience of over five hundred electors in thle Choral Hall recently. Of that time the last houir was devoted to the answering of questions. Several members of the a.udnienee came ■ well armed, and jumped lintto the fray as soon as the candidate had finished his address; but Mr Walker gave as good as he got, attacking his attackers, till at times the clashing opinions of the two factions made the building ring.